Loose leaf binder



Dec. 6, 1932 LOOSE'LEAF BINDER Filed Jan. 7. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l W' WWBY ATTORNEYS Dec. 6, 1932. s. e. JOHNSON .LOOSE'LEAF BINDER F iled Jan.7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ziiiiiiiiia Friar/11914?! ATTORNEYSPatented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES STANLEY G. JOHNSON, OF GROSSE POINTEVILLAGE, MICHIGAN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed January 7, 1932.Serial No. 585,329.

This invention relates to covers for books or loose leaf binders andmore particularly to structures of this type wherein the lids of thecover and a supportcooperate in easel fashion in supporting the book orloose leaf binder in an open standing position so that the leaves orpages may be conveniently viewed. An object of the invention is toprovide a self-supporting cover of this type which embodies a backmember to which the lids are hingedly connected and a supporting legpivoted to the back member; both the back member and supporting legbeing so shaped cross-sectionally as to permit the leg and back memberto nest or interfit one within the other and thereby reduce the combinedcross-sectional area of the back member and supporting leg to a minimumwhen the cover is in closed position. This arrangement not only reducesthe storage space of a book or loose leaf binder constructed inaccordance with my invention but renders the cover neat and attractiveby reason of the leg and back member being maintained in nested orinterfitting 85 relation when the book or loose leaf binder is beinghandled or stored on a shelf.

The invention further provides a combined book or loose leaf bindercover wherein a pivoted leg or support is carried by theback of thecover for cooperation with the lids thereof in supporting the book orloose leaf binder in standing open position and which is arranged toembrace the book back when the leg is not in use and thereby serve as areinforcement for the back as well as to maintain the leg in trueparallel relation to the back when the leg is in this last mention-edposition.

Another object of my invention is to generally simplify prior structuresof this character by constructing the supporting leg to cooperate withthe back member in holding the supporting leg and back member in fixedrelation when the cover is arranged in stand ing open position.

The invention also provides latch means cooperating with the supportingleg and cover in maintaining the supporting leg against accidentalpivotal movement when the latter occupies the back embracing position;the latch means being such as to permit its ready disengagement when itis desired to move the leg to operative position.

lVith the foregoing and other objects and advantages in mind theinvention consists in the novel combination of elements, constructions,arrangements of parts and operations to be hereinafter specifically setforth, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a loose leaf binder embodying myinvention and in open position;

Figure 2 is an upper edge elevation of the same and showing thesupporting leg in inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a similar view but illustrating a different retention meansfor the loose leaves;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 having the loose leaf retentionmeans shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view partly in vertical section at theback of the cover and partly in elevation, the supporting leg being inback embracing or inoperative position;

Figure 6 is a view partly in transverse section and partly in elevationwith'the lids in closed position and the leg in back embracing position;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but illustrating the loose leafretention means illustrated in Figure 4:;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective particularly illustrating therelation of the supporting leg, back member and lids when the device isin standing position;

Figure 9 is a perspective of the loose leaf retention member illustratedin Figures 3, 4 and 7 and t Figure 10 is a perspective of the inventionin standing open position. 5 Referring to the invention in detail achannel-shaped back member 5 formed from stiff material such as sheetmetal is provided and with the two lids 6 constitutes a cover for a bookor loose leaf binder. As shown in Figure 6 the flanges or parallelportions of the channel-shaped back member extend inwardly toward therear longitudinal edges of the lids 6 and-are hingedly connected withthe lids by flexible or fabric sheets extending over the opposite facesof the back member and lids and suitably secured thereto.

Cooperating with the lids 6 in supporting the cover in open standingposition in easel like fashion is a pivotally mounted channelshapedsupporting leg 8. This supporting leg is arranged with its flanges. orparallel portions extending toward the back member 5 and is slightlylarger in cross-section than the back member so that the supporting legand back member may be nested or interfitted one within the other tocompletely house the back member when the supporting leg is not 111 use.

The upper ends of the flanges or parallel 1 portions of the supportingleg lie upon the outer faces of the flanges or parallel portions of theback member and are pivoted thereto by pivot pins 9 passing throughthese parts and extending into the ends of a sleeve 10 arranged betweenthe flanges of the back member at its upper end.

In order to maintain the supporting leg and back member in fixeddivergent relation When the supporting leg is swung outwardly tostanding position to cooperate with the outstretched lids in supportingthe cover in standing open position the upper end of the supporting leghas its web cut away to produce a horizontally extending shoulder or'Labutment 11 slightly below the upper end of the back member. 'With thesupporting leg in standing position the shoulder or abutment 11 engagesthe outer face of the back member as illustrated in Figures 8 and 10 andthereby .maintains the supporting leg and back member in fixed divergentrelation so that the cover will stand in easel-like fashion withoutcollapsing. Itwill be observed that my im proved cover does notnecessitate a brace or connection between the supporting leg and backmember. The supporting leg is given the desired finish by covering allof its surfaces with suitable flexible material or fabric 12. N

For the purpose of maintaining the supporting leg against accidentalmovement when it occupies the back embracing position a suitable latchdevice is provided between the cover and supporting legs. In thisinstance the latch device consists of-a female fastening or resilientsocket 13 carried by the web of the supporting leg adjacent its lower orfree end and a cooperating male fastening element 14: which projectslaterally from the web of the back member 5 at a point opposite thefemale fastening or socket so as to enter the latter to detachablycouple the parts 13 and 14: together. It will be observed that a slightpull upon the free end of the supporting leg will disengage the parts 13and 14 and permit the supporting leg to be swung outwardly to operativeposition.

It will be observed that when-the supporting leg embraces the backmember as above stated it willbe in a position where it will notinterfere with thebp'ening of'the cover and pagesor leaves carriedtherein while the cover occupies a horizontal position on a table orother support. =Moreover, the channel-shaped supporting leg acts asaprotective or reinforcing "housing for the" back member; thus adaptingthe cover to rough 'usag'e or' handling with'outmu'tilationP It willalso be ap parent that the supporting leg 'cannot' move on its axis whenthe cover'is being handled due to the fact that the back member andsupporting leg are latched together by "the coop-' erating male andfemale fastening let-and 13.

The invention proposes the use of any wellknown" form of loose leafbinderfor use in the cover and for illustrative purposes I have hereindisclosed'twolforms' of loose leaf bind er. One of these consists of asheet metal transversely bowed housing 15 which is opposed tothe innerface of the web "of the back member 5 and extendssubstantially theentire length thereof.- Suitable attaching elements such' as rive'ts16pass through the end portions of the housing 15 and the web of the'backmember to anchor the housing thereto. Hingedly connected plates lZ areconfined between the inner face of the-back member and the housing 15and carry coacting half rings or curved prongs 18. These half rings orcurved prongs project forwardly from the plates 17. and extend throughopenings 19 in the longitudinalfedges of the housing.

The secondembodiment' of the binder coin-l book cover back and arrangedto cooperate with the lids in supporting the cover in easellike fashion,the supporting leg being shaped to conform to the contour ofthe bookback so as to embrace the same when the leg is not in use.

2. In combination a book cover having lids and a rigid back memberhingedly connected with the lids, and a supporting leg pivoted to theback member and arranged to cooperate with the lids in supporting thecover in easel like fashion, the supporting leg being shaped to conformto the contour of the back member and adapted to embrace the same whenthe leg is not in use.

3. In combination a book cover having lids, and a supporting leg pivotedto the book cover back and arranged to cooperate with the lids insupporting the cover in easel-like fashion, the supporting leg beingshaped to conform to the contour of the book back so as to embrace thesame when the leg is not in use, and means for latching the leg to thecover when the leg is in the book back embracing position.

4. In combination a book cover having lids and arigid back memberhinge-dly connected with the lids, and a supporting leg pivoted to theback member and arranged to cooperate with the lids in supporting thecover in easel-like fashion, the supporting leg being shaped to conformto the contour of the back member and adapted to embrace the same whenthe leg is not in use, cooperating latch elements carried by the leg andback member to latch the leg thereto when the latter is not in use.

5. In a book structure, a back member, lids hinged to opposite sidesthereof, a supporting leg pivoted to the upper end of the back memherand adapted to cooperate with the lids in supporting the book structurein easel-like fashion, the leg being so shaped cross-sectionally as toreceive and house the back member when the leg is moved to lie parallelto the back member.

6. In a book structure, a back member, lids hinged to opposite sidesthereof, a supporting leg pivoted to the upper end of the back memberand adapted to cooperate with the lids in supporting the book structurein easellike fashion, the leg being so shaped crosssectionally as toreceive and house the back member when the leg is moved to lie parallelto the back member, and latch means for holding the leg in the lastmentioned position.

7. In a book structure, a back member, lids hinged to opposite sidesthereof, a supporting leg pivoted to the upper end of the back memberand adapted to cooperate with the lids in supporting the book structurein easellike fashion, the leg being so shaped crosssectionally as toreceive and house the back member when the leg is moved to lie parallelto the back member, and cooperating fastening elements between the backmember and leg for maintaining the latter parallel to the back member.

' 8. In combination a book cover including a back member, lids hinged toopposite sides thereof and a channel-shaped supporting leg having itsupper end pivotally connected with the back member and arranged tocooperate with the lids and back member in supporting the book cover instanding open position, the upper end of the leg being cut away toprovide an abutment for engagement with the back member in maintainingthe leg and back member in fixed divergent relation.

9. In combination a book cover including a back member, lids hinged toopposite sides thereof and a channel-shaped supporting leg having itsupper end pivotally connected with the back member and arranged tocooperate with the lids and back member in supporting the book cover instanding open position, the upper end of the leg being cut away toprovide an abutment for engagement with the back member in maintainingthe leg and back member in fixed divergent relation, and a loose leafbinder unit carried by the inner face of the back member.

10. In combination a book cover including a back member, lids hinged toopposite sides thereof and a channel-shaped supporting leg having itsupper end pivotally connected with the back member and arranged tocooperate with the lids and back member in supporting the book cover instanding open position, the upper end of the leg being cut away toprovide an abutment for engagement with the back member in maintainingthe leg and back member in fixed divergent relation, and cooperatingmale and female fastening ele ments carried by the leg and back memberand arranged to secure the leg in a position to house the back memberwhen the cover is closed.

11. In combination a book cover having rigid lids and a rigid backmember hingedly connected with the lids, and a supporting leg pivoted tothe back member and arranged to cooperate with the lids in supportingthe cover in easel-like fashion, the supporting leg being shaped toconform to the contour of the back member and adapted to embrace thesame when the leg is not in use, and a loose leaf binder unit attachedto the inner face of the back member.

12. In a book or loose leaf cover, a rigid channel shaped back, lidshinged to the parallel portions of the channel shaped back, a supportingleg pivoted to the back and arranged to be disposed in divergentrelation to the opened lids and cooperate therewith in supporting thecover in easel-like fashion and an abutment carried by the hinged end ofthe supporting leg and engageable with the back to maintain thesupporting leg and back in fixed divergent relation to prevent collapseof the cover.

13. In a book or loose leaf cover a rigid channel shaped back, lidshinged to the ar'allel portions of the channel shaped bac and asupporting leg hinged to the back and arranged to be disposed indivergent relation to the back and opened lids and cooperate therewithin supporting the 'cover in easellike fashion, the upper end of the legconstituting an abutmentfor engagement with the back to maintain thesupporting leg and back in fixed divergent relation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

STANLEY G. JOHNSON.

